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Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

forever.sega.com

61–70 of 262 posts

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#61
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm starting to get to the point where I wish people weren't allowed to call advertising supported products "free." I don't know what other term would be better, but I feel like users are paying some non-monetary cost.

Apple changed apps with In App Purchases from being able to say "Free" to "Get." Maybe they'll do the same with ad supported apps as well.

Does any app have “Free” on the download button now?

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This hack works. I wish there was way to disable internet for some apps. I am sure that's possible on android.

Not without rooting it isn't. I don't think even Android 7.0 has an option to disable internet access on per-app basis - you can disable most permissions, but accessing the internet does not require a special permission(there used to be an INTERNET permission but it has been removed by Google)

>(there used to be an INTERNET permission but it has been removed by Google)

Can't say I'm too surprised by this development. I am surprised they were magnanimous enough to give it in the first place.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#63

The Sonic game uses the most vile type of in-app ad. The ad requires you to play Game of War for some indeterminate amount of time. You are made to play it after every stage. I hope Sega changes this, it basically makes their game unplayable.

I'm starting to get to the point where I wish people weren't allowed to call advertising supported products "free." I don't know what other term would be better, but I feel like users are paying some non-monetary cost.

Since it's a skinner box, why not call it skinnerware?

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#64
post #29

Having a 4 year old son I am the first person to put my hand up and say I absolutely HATE ads and general in-app purchases for games that he likes to play on my iPhone. In some cases the way these are implemented it is almost akin to being in a casino which is not a skill I really want my son picking up (watch this ad to see what prize you can WIN etc). I welcome Sega's announcement and will be delighted to hand over…

Set up a DNS proxy, point your son's iPad at it, tail the log and then blacklist domains that serve these ads.

Bonus, this can also be used to remove YouTube and other kinds of ads as well as all the phone-home "analytics" if that's your thing.

  -- Edit --
Some options:

http://www.thekelleys.org.uk/dnsmasq/doc.html + ToDo's via Google

https://github.com/apankrat/dnswhisperer or more generally https://github.com/search?utf8=&q=ad+blocking+dns

There are also 3rd party services that provide this function. They have obvious privacy issues, but for a kid's iPad it might be an option.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#65
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm starting to get to the point where I wish people weren't allowed to call advertising supported products "free." I don't know what other term would be better, but I feel like users are paying some non-monetary cost.

Since it's a skinner box, why not call it skinnerware?

What does this mean? Skinner boxes have nothing to do with showing ads.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#67
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems that most people would like it to be free as in charity, which would never happen.

I agree, they need to make money somehow and I actually don't have any issue with the way Sega is doing it (ads if you don't want to pay money, or 2€ if you don't want to pay with ads). What I object to is mainly assimilating not paying money and being free : it's not free if there are ads, you're paying with time, mind share (because there would not be that much money in ads if it was not at least a little bit effec…

You may as well say that a game is not free if it poses a challenge, since then you pay in frustration. When we're talking about prices, "free" refers to money. You're certainly right that there are other interesting axes you could examine games on, but I don't see how they belong on the game's price tag.

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#68
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They should be handled by a visibly and audibly slow emulator? No thanks.

Well like I said, I haven't played them. Is the shipped emulator not good?

>Well like I said, I haven't played them. Is the shipped emulator not good?

Sounds like no:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-06-21-sega-releases-c...

Re: Sega releasing every console game for free with ads on mobile

#69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This hack works. I wish there was way to disable internet for some apps. I am sure that's possible on android.

Not without rooting it isn't. I don't think even Android 7.0 has an option to disable internet access on per-app basis - you can disable most permissions, but accessing the internet does not require a special permission(there used to be an INTERNET permission but it has been removed by Google)

There's a way. A firewall, that work as a local VPN. You don't need to root your Android. I use NetGuard. https://www.netguard.me

It's open source.

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